RE: SOTW: Chevrolet Blazer
Discussion
ScoobieWRX said:
Everything in Wiki is true therefore must be accurate. My truck weighs (and i've just looked it up on the Surf Tech forum and my workshop manual)....1830Kg curb weight.
I had a 4.0L Wrangler Jeep (auto) and i was lucky to see 18-20mpg on a good day taking it very easy on the Motorway. Most of the time around town i was lucky to see low to mid teens. Economy was horrendous so got rid after 6mths.
Before taking wiki facts as gospel i would be looking at Blazer tech forums if there is one, or in the workshop manual, again if there is one to find out exactly what it weighs.
The 4.0 will easily do 20mpg on the motorway and i'm averaging 18.6mpg overall in my Grand Cherokee which is heavier and subsequently thirstier.I had a 4.0L Wrangler Jeep (auto) and i was lucky to see 18-20mpg on a good day taking it very easy on the Motorway. Most of the time around town i was lucky to see low to mid teens. Economy was horrendous so got rid after 6mths.
Before taking wiki facts as gospel i would be looking at Blazer tech forums if there is one, or in the workshop manual, again if there is one to find out exactly what it weighs.
You must have either a lead foot or had not serviced the thing in forever.
...looks the same 
ScoobieWRX said:
I don't believe it, and i reckon in average UK motorway or town traffic you'll be lucky to see mid to high teens. I dread to think what the MPG will be when you're towing something.
Actually, the engine isn't that bad on fuel. My GMC van (same engine) weighs about 2.5 tonnes, and returned 22mpg on a recent 1300 mile treck to/around Scotland. This is actual, calculated brim to brim mpg, setting the cruise at 75/80mph on the motorway, so I reckon 25 would be easily achieved with a lighter foot. These have a very low revving/high geared setup, mine is only doing 1900rpm at 70mph. Admittedly, around town is high teens, but it is a 4.3.jbi said:
ScoobieWRX said:
Everything in Wiki is true therefore must be accurate. My truck weighs (and i've just looked it up on the Surf Tech forum and my workshop manual)....1830Kg curb weight.
I had a 4.0L Wrangler Jeep (auto) and i was lucky to see 18-20mpg on a good day taking it very easy on the Motorway. Most of the time around town i was lucky to see low to mid teens. Economy was horrendous so got rid after 6mths.
Before taking wiki facts as gospel i would be looking at Blazer tech forums if there is one, or in the workshop manual, again if there is one to find out exactly what it weighs.
The 4.0 will easily do 20mpg on the motorway and i'm averaging 18.6mpg overall in my Grand Cherokee which is heavier and subsequently thirstier.I had a 4.0L Wrangler Jeep (auto) and i was lucky to see 18-20mpg on a good day taking it very easy on the Motorway. Most of the time around town i was lucky to see low to mid teens. Economy was horrendous so got rid after 6mths.
Before taking wiki facts as gospel i would be looking at Blazer tech forums if there is one, or in the workshop manual, again if there is one to find out exactly what it weighs.
You must have either a lead foot or had not serviced the thing in forever.
Edited by ScoobieWRX on Friday 12th October 15:12
It's great what you can get for a grand. Nice to see shed spreading its scope. Found myself in a Suburban in Indiana a couple of weeks ago. Can't see why anyone would prefer one for road use only but it was 200,000 on the clock and was tight enough. The motor sounded great. By the way, my rental was a Ford Taurus (which I loved). That is a V6 and you can't even get a V8 for that now, even though the SHO is a twin turbo V6! US for me is more than 4 pot not just an 8 banger, though the ecoboost Fusion will put pay to that.
LuS1fer said:
Have another road test then:
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/112_96...
One of the criticisms of this car is it is not PH enough but if you're offering a diesel Toyota as being more PH then there's not much hope.
I think my Surf is a much better looking vehicle than this Blazer, but then i would however, my shonky old diesel is about as PH as a runny turd, but it's not a bad comparison for this Blazer, similar in many ways, although i think it has to be said this blazer is about as PH as 3 runny turds http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/112_96...
One of the criticisms of this car is it is not PH enough but if you're offering a diesel Toyota as being more PH then there's not much hope.
ScoobieWRX said:
I think my Surf is a much better looking vehicle than this Blazer, but then i would however, my shonky old diesel is about as PH as a runny turd, but it's not a bad comparison for this Blazer, similar in many ways, although i think it has to be said this blazer is about as PH as 3 runny turds
In rating it 2/10, I largely agree but in the winter when the snow is here and I'm uselessly spinning in a local lane and one of these plods by like the Pony Express, I'll be the first to acknoweledge it's one redeeming feature - same with any 4x4 though. 
Would you say this was some honest reviewing carried out in the USA. these people should know shouldn't they?
Note the avg MPG of the 1995-2005 Gen long term test result!!
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1995-to...
Note the avg MPG of the 1995-2005 Gen long term test result!!
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1995-to...
All too predictable responses and IMO, Garlick only chose this as SOTW to wind 300bhp up 
Having said that, I'd reckon that 99% of you "Haterz" have probably never seen one in the flesh, let alone sat in one or driven it.
I used to have an older S-10 model which although far from perfect, never broke or let me down, nothing fell off and returned 25mpg as it was the 2.8 model.
No, not fast or handled particularly well much like any other SUV whether Yank or Jap but it did the job and when we had a bad couple of winters, it never got stuck.
If you wanted a cheap winter hack, you could do worse. Honestly.
Having said that, I'd reckon that 99% of you "Haterz" have probably never seen one in the flesh, let alone sat in one or driven it.
I used to have an older S-10 model which although far from perfect, never broke or let me down, nothing fell off and returned 25mpg as it was the 2.8 model.
No, not fast or handled particularly well much like any other SUV whether Yank or Jap but it did the job and when we had a bad couple of winters, it never got stuck.
If you wanted a cheap winter hack, you could do worse. Honestly.
ScoobieWRX said:
Would you say this was some honest reviewing carried out in the USA. these people should know shouldn't they?
Note the avg MPG of the 1995-2005 Gen long term test result!!
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1995-to...
That is US mpg though which equates to 18.25mpg.Note the avg MPG of the 1995-2005 Gen long term test result!!
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1995-to...
I think two things need to be borne in mind in such tests:
(1) Journalists are not renowned for mechanical sympathy and generally roundly abuse test cars to "test them" including loading them to the gunnels and taking them up the mountains.
(2) With petrol in the US being a fraction of what it costs here, the temptation to floor it all the time is not tempered by the horror of the cost, as it would here.
The Americans are pretty good at eeking fuel out of large capacity engines. They have strict emission laws and as has been noted, high geared cars so I imagine the higher consumption gets balanced to some degree by lower consumption when cruising. Both 5th and 6th on my Corvette C5 Z06 were overdrive ratios.
In other words, 18.25 would still be a good result as it is probably towards the very lowest results likely to be achiebved.
LuS1fer said:
ScoobieWRX said:
I think my Surf is a much better looking vehicle than this Blazer, but then i would however, my shonky old diesel is about as PH as a runny turd, but it's not a bad comparison for this Blazer, similar in many ways, although i think it has to be said this blazer is about as PH as 3 runny turds
In rating it 2/10, I largely agree but in the winter when the snow is here and I'm uselessly spinning in a local lane and one of these plods by like the Pony Express, I'll be the first to acknoweledge it's one redeeming feature - same with any 4x4 though. 
ScoobieWRX said:
Perhaps you should buy yourself a used 4x4. Better than spinning
No parking room or I possibly would have. I had a Suzuki Jimny on the list for a short time but I'd rather walk..... at least until I have to actually get out and walk.....but.....What I found with the whole "4x4 dream" is when the snow-covered roads are jammed with stranded 2WD cars at jaunty angles, you can't go anywhere, anyway, and if you brave the "gaps", some chump WILL take you out and you'll have to walk.
LuS1fer said:
No parking room or I possibly would have. I had a Suzuki Jimny on the list for a short time but I'd rather walk..... at least until I have to actually get out and walk.....but.....
What I found with the whole "4x4 dream" is when the snow-covered roads are jammed with stranded 2WD cars at jaunty angles, you can't go anywhere, anyway, and if you brave the "gaps", some chump WILL take you out and you'll have to walk.
How I laughed at these types trudging through the snow as my forester turbo wafted effortlessly by.....What I found with the whole "4x4 dream" is when the snow-covered roads are jammed with stranded 2WD cars at jaunty angles, you can't go anywhere, anyway, and if you brave the "gaps", some chump WILL take you out and you'll have to walk.
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